The Gorgeous Guide to Castle Howard – North York Moors

Yorkshire has more stately homes and grand country houses than you can shake a very big stick at, with the North York Moors in particular playing host to many of these stunning historical homes and estates.

Castle Howard is one such estate. Set just north of York in the captivating Howardian Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it has a particularly magical appeal. Take a look at our Gorgeous Guide to Castle Howard and discover why it’s one of Yorkshire’s most loved country houses…

The Gorgeous Cottages Guide to Castle Howard

A family affair

Somewhat unusually, this grand stately house is still a family home to the Howard family. In fact there have been 11 generations of the Howard family here since the house was built at the beginning of the 18th Century. This intimate connection with real flesh and blood serves to keep the history of the house alive.

Decadent Architecture

Castle Howard is a magnificent example of the exuberant Baroque architecture of the early 1700s. The vision of the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, its ornate and flamboyant style is a joy to behold – particularly when compared with some of today’s conservative and pretty dull buildings. The sheer attention to detail on a house of this size is incredible. It really is a work of art.

Gorgeous Grounds and Gardens

The pleasure of visiting Castle Howard extends far beyond its walls. There are over 1,000 acres of simply stunning grounds and gardens to explore. Discover the magical walled garden, wander through ancient woodland and marvel at the temples, statues, fountains and lakes. There is an air of fantasy about the place, a truly enchanted landscape.

Lights, camera, Action!

If you feel like you’ve seen Castle Howard before then you’re probably right. Unsurprisingly this grand location has been used in many film and TV shoots over the years including the wonderful Brideshead Revisited series and film. Most recently the BBC’s lavish ‘Death comes to Pemberley’ was filmed here.

A jolly good day out

That old over-used adage ‘something for everyone’ is actually quite true for Castle Howard. The house and grounds have much to offer young and old, and everyone in between. From gorgeous rose gardens for the green-fingered amongst us to the large adventure playground for the kids. There are also several rather lovely cafes including the Boathouse by the lake, a fabulous farm shop and a gift shop with lots of lovely things to buy and take home. Castle Howard just does everything very well; it’s the perfect tourist destination.

Visit the Castle Howard website to find out more and plan your visit to this fabulous stately home: www.castlehoward.co.uk

Where to stay

Castle Howard is set in the North York Moors just a few miles north of historic York.

Gorgeous Cottages have several beautiful holiday cottages in the area including The Hay Barn – an outstanding 5 Star Gold luxury cottage complete with sauna, hot-tub, games room and gym – just a few miles from Castle Howard.